Where to eat around Sunnyvale, CA

I love food.  I love to eat.  I garner great pleasure from sticking something into my maw that tastes good.  I'm always willing to spend money on good food. 

I hate food that is fancy for the sake of being fancy.   

I once had a boss that told me, "I know that I have enough money when I can have anything I want to eat anytime I want it."  I've come to realize just how much money that would require.  

Here is my list of local restaurants that I love:

• Akane (los altos - sushi) - sit at the sushi bar 
  
• Queen House (Mountain View - castro street) - chinese beef noodle soup and the basil bacon fried rice
  
• Doppio Zero (Mountain View - castro street) - Italian style thin crust pizza
  
• Orenchi Ramen - some of the best ramen around but usually a long wait
  
• Sumiya (Santa Clara) - Yakitori
  
• UB Mongolian BBQ (Santa Clara) - cheap all you can eat Mongolian 
• Chungdam (Santa Clara) - Korean - sort of fancy/hip/LA style 
  
• Spring BBQ (Santa Clara) - Korean BBQ - old school neighborhood style
  
• Kunjip (Santa Clara - next door to Spring) - Galbi Jim (korean slow cooked beef ribs - expensive but tasty - enough for 2 meals for 1) 
  
• Bon chon - (Sunnyvale) Korean fried chicken - dusted with crack
  
• Dish Dash (Sunnyvale) - Mediterranean - I love the chicken/lamb/steak kabobs
  
• Southern Kitchen (Los Gatos) - best breakfast around - omelets are great
  
• Holders Country Inn (Cupertino/San Jose) - Dive breakfast joint - waffles are key here
  
• Smoking Pig BBQ (San Jose) - go for lunch early or dinner early - ask for fatty brisket 
  
• Asteria Grill (Sunnyvale) - Shwarma plate with garlic fries 
  
• Adamson's (Sunnyvale) - prime rib french dip that they smoke in house - get the cheese add on. 
  
• Saizo (Sunnyvale) - Japanese business lunch
  
• The Counter (Mountain View) - burgers - you can easily make yourself a crappy burger with too many toppings but stick with the basics and a milkshake
  
• Shanghai Dumpling (Cupertino) - chinese soup dumplings
  
• Fuji Dumpling (Cupertino) - chinese style dumplings - get them fried
  
• Pastis (Palo Alto) - French - awesome place for brunch but reservations s'il vous plaît
• Los Altos Taqueria (Mountain View) - best burritos around, awesome horchata and aqua fresca
• Sumika Grill (Los Altos) - delicious japanese food - limited menu at lunch, I'd recommend going at dinner and ordering whatever is on the specials board.  
• Nick's Next Door (Los Gatos) - I really enjoy this restaurant, quirky but solid american food and Nick is usually around talking to his guests.  I'd recommend going at lunch and definitely make reservations.  Great for groups too.
• PintxoPote (Los Gatos) - great tapas but the really special dish is if you get a group together and make a reservation for Paella.  Fun for the whole family - he hauls a huge Paella pan and Paella burner out... mmmm 

Fast Food ish:

• Cheztakos (Mountain View) - The best tacos around - it's a taco truck in a liquor store parking lot
• Smashburger (Sunnyvale) - good fast foodish burgers
  
• Rubios (Sunnyvale) Fish tacos
  
• Tea Era (Sunnyvale) - get the boba tea and popcorn chicken

Desserts:

• 85 degrees (Cupertino) - chinese style bakery
  
• Stan's Donuts (Santa Clara - next door to Sumiya) - awesome donuts go early (before 9:30am for best selection) 
  
• Smitten Ice Cream (Los Altos) - liquid nitrogen ice cream - so rich and creamy and flavorful
• Tin Pot Creamery (Los Altos or Palo Alto) - really tasty ice cream and delicious cookies
• SnoZen (Mountain View) - best Taiwanese shaved ice snow in the area - fruit flavored frozen dessert

Fancy Restaurants:

• Plumed Horse (Saratoga) - The chef's table with a decent sized group is the best here
  
• Manresa (Los Gatos) - Manresa has gone from standout to left out back up to stand out for me.  
  
• Chez TJ (Mountain View) - Fine dining in a converted house.